Editor's Picks

It takes a lot for a chicken meatball to compete alongside beef and pork on a menu, so it really says something that this dish is a hot seller at The Meatball Shop in New York City. Chef Daniel Holzman’s big secret: ground fennel, which makes these meatballs so tasty, many converts never go back to beef. Here, a very hearty—yet healthy—recipe for those famous Chicken Meatballs, courtesy of The Meatball Shop Cookbook.

Make like you’re really there and serve your meatballs in tune with the menu choices at the shop, depending on your dietary needs and macro intake—on a hero roll, over salad greens or pasta, or with a side of steamed or roasted vegetables. That part, men, is up to you.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 lbs. ground chicken

2 large eggs

½ cup bread crumbs

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup dry white wine

1 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. ground fennel

1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

3.) Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-size meatballs (about 1½ inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.

4.) Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.

5.) Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving. Top with tomato sauce.

Serves: 6 (makes about 2 dozen 1 ½ inch meatballs)

Fit Value: These meatballs are protein-packed. And while ground chicken may include skin and fat that make it slightly less healthy than a chicken breast, they provide a nice alternative for men (smartly) trying to cut down on their red meat intake.